Sutra 6

Devanagari script

तेषामन्तराणि वागुरिकशबरपुलिन्दचण्डालारण्यचरा रक्षेयुः ॥ कZ_०२.०१.०६ ॥

Transliteration

teṣām antarāṇi vāgurikaśabarapulindacaṇḍālāraṇyacarā rakṣeyuḥ

Translation

The intervals between those (border posts/forts) should be guarded by forest-ranging groups—trappers (vāgurika), śabaras, pulindas, caṇḍālas, and other woodland roamers.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of those (i.e., of them)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Gen. pl.), पुं./नपुं. (contextual)

• अन्तराणि: the intervening spaces/intervals
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Nom./Acc. pl.)

• वागुरिक: trappers (net-hunters)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वागुरिक
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम् (Nom. pl.)

• शबर: Śabaras (forest tribesmen)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शबर
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम् (Nom. pl.)

• पुलिन्द: Pulindas (tribesmen)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलिन्द
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम् (Nom. pl.)

• चण्डाल: Caṇḍālas
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डाल
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम् (Nom. pl.)

• अरण्यचराः: forest-roamers / those who move in the forest
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: अरण्यचर
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम् (Nom. pl.); अरण्ये चरन्ति इति

• रक्षेयुः: should guard / should protect
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; धातुः: रक्ष् (पालने)

Entities Mentioned

• vāgurika
• śabara
• pulinda
• caṇḍāla
• āraṇyacarāḥ

More Details

FAQs

What strategic idea underlies assigning forest groups to guard ‘intervals’?

They possess terrain familiarity and mobility, making them effective for patrolling gaps that regular garrisons cannot densely cover.

How does this fit into a broader security system?

It creates layered defense: forts as fixed nodes, auxiliary patrols as flexible coverage between nodes.